Be Prepared First Aid

Having a first aid kit of your own can make you feel safer at home and on the road, that is as long as it contains the right tools and supplies to help to treat minor injuries or to provide basic care for someone before professional health services can arrive on the scene. If you or your family has specialized health needs such as severe allergies or require emergency medications, keeping those items in a first aid kit is always a good idea though they are not mentioned here.

First Aid Manual

The very first thing every first aid kit should have is a first aid manual. Even if you have robust first aid training, you may not be the one using the kit, or even worse, you may be the one with a debilitating injury that would prevent you from taking part in any treatment. A guide should contain extensive instructions in providing simple treatments for stings, cuts, bruises or other medical situations.

Hydrocortisone Ointment

In case of stings or bites from insects hydrocortisone cream and reduce swelling, itching and redness. It can also be used for skin allergic reactions. Apply it directly to the skin in the affected area. It should not be used on people who have any kind of existing skin condition as this may cause the condition to get worse.

Antibiotic Cream

A wound should always be cleaned with antibiotics as soon as possible after an injury that breaks the skin. This can help to speed healing time and will prevent any infection of the area and can also reduce scarring. However use caution with a person who has stitches as some doctors will recommend against using them.

Adhesive Bandages

Injuries come in a variety of size and shapes and you should keep wide array of bandages available to cover most of them. Bandages can help to protect a wound from infection or other damage.

Scissors

You should keep a pair of scissors in every first aid kit because they can be used in a variety of situations including cutting bandages down to size, and in some emergencies to cut away an injured persons clothing to be able access a wound. Just make sure if you ever borrow them from your first aid kit that you return it in case it is needed!

Blanket

A blanket is another multi-purpose tool for your kit. You can use it to warm someone after hypothermia or frostbite or to put out a fire. You can get specially designed blankets for first aid kits that are better at helping the body retain heat.

Tweezers

Sometimes there may be some small debris inside of a wound such as dirt or wood in the case of splinters. They can quickly cause an infection if they are not removed and tweezers can help to removed items to small for fingers. Be sure to carefully sterilize tweezers after use so you don’t carry an infection over to the next person who uses them.